Paswan, Sharad Yadav shifted
In a half-hearted reshuffle exercise, the
Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, today inducted six new
faces into his Council of Ministers while five colleagues were
shown the door, and two Ministers of State were elevated to the
Cabinet rank. The portfolios of several Ministers have also been
changed.

PM plans Davos-type retreat with CMs
The National Development Council today
unanimously approved the draft approach paper to the Tenth Five
Year Plan which envisages a eight per cent annual growth in the
next five years.

AI: Singapore Airlines pulls out
The Government is prepared to let the
privatisation plan for Air India die a natural death in case the
Tatas are not able to find another joint venture partner.

U.S. sanctions against Chinese, Pak. firms
In a major development, the United States
has imposed missile proliferation sanctions against the China
Metallurgical Equipment Company (CMEC), for shipment of missile
parts and technology to Pakistan. Sanctions were also imposed on
Pakistan's National Development Complex (NDC).

JVP 'deal' with Chandrika
The Sri Lankan President, Ms. Chandrika
Kumaratunga, has all but tied up a deal with the Janatha Vimukthi
Peramuna to help the Government stay on in power.

8 Pak. soldiers killed
Eight Pakistani soldiers were killed in heavy
gunfire and shelling between Indian and Pakistani troops along
the Line of Control in Poonch, Jammu and Rajouri sectors since
Friday night, defence sources said here today.

Malik allowed to go abroad
Senior Hurriyat leader and JKLF chairman, Mr.
Yaseen Malik, who was granted bail last month in TADA cases, was
today permitted to go abroad for two months for treatment under
several conditions.